Refrigerator cabinet and method of controlling the temperature therein



we THE Aug. 21, IQZS.

L. G. coPEMAN REFRIGERATOR CABINET AND METHOD OF GONTROLL TEMPERATURE THEREIN Flled Nov 18, 1926 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 N VEN TOR. ,ZZogaZ 61' @Peman. BY 5 A TTORNEY.

Aug. 21, 1925. I 1,681,398

PEMAN L. G. CO

REFRIGERATOR CABINET AND METHO ONTROLLING THE TEMPERATURE TH Filed. Nov. 18,

-2 Sheets-Sheet 2 [H l I! I 1' '1 mwmm INVENTOR. l/ayd, 6 @peman.

BY 5 ATTORNEY.

Patented Aug. 21, 1928.

UNITED? STATES PATE T OFFICE.

LLOYD G. COIPEMAN, OF FLINT, MICHIGKN.

\ REFRIGERATOR CABINET ND METHOD or CONTROLLING THE TEMPERATURE THEREIN.

Application filed November 18, 1926. Serial No, 149,101.

This invention relates to refrigerator cabinets and method of controlling the temperature therein. It has to do particularly with cabinets of the larger type, such-as ice-cream cabinets, containing a plurality of units 1mmersed in a body of brine or other non-freezing solutions. v

Heretofore, in the manufacture of icecream cabinets or the like utilizing mechani-' cal refrigeration, it has been customary to- This method of coiling the container units in ice-cream cabinets, or the like, by the use i of a body of brine controlled by suitable refrigerating coils therein, has been very objectionable for two main reasons, one be 1ng the necessity of a very expenslve construction, and the other being the liability of the brine seeping and eating through the o1nts of the containershell, and into the container units for receivin the ice-cream cans, et'c. Much trouble has been experienced along this line where compartments have been used for brick ice-cream, bottled goods, etc; which have necessitated the use of picks, and other sharp instruments in the separation thereof, with the result that holes are quite frequently unched in the walls of the container units allowing the brine to seep in, and thus make the cabinet unfit for use.- Another great disadvantage of this type of cabinet, ashas been heretofore used, is the buoyancy of the container cans when inserted in the main container unit due to the specific gravity of the brine. In cabinets having a large number of these container sleeves for units, this buoyancy has become a very serious problem, especially where allthe shells are formed integrally with the cover and inserted in th brine at one time.

It is the primary object of this inventlon to provide a refrigerating cabinet of the type utilizing brine, or other non-freezing substance, as the jheat' absorbing andhold-over med um, which cabinet is so constructed as to retain all the benefits of the use of the brine, and at the same time making the unit containers of the cabinet positively leak-proo Another ob ect of the present invention has to do with the provision of a refrigerating cabinet, the unit containers or compartments of which are formed separately, and may be removed and replaced at will without effectmg the other units or construction of the cabinet. A further feature of the present invent-ion hasto do with the provision of individual container units, each having a specific gravity greater than the non-freezing solution, and which units are formed of a material which is a relatively goodconductor and a good hold-over. By this structure I have made it possible to completelybuild an icecream cabinet or the like, of the standard form, and which is relatively light and compact, whereby such cabinetmay' be shipped to the user and the two hold-over mediums, namely, the non-freezing solution and the stone container units inserted at the place of use, the container units requiring no other labor than merely placing them in the proper apertures and'allowing them to settle to the bottom of the tank.

In the drawings: i

Fig. 1 is a vertical, longitudinal section taken through a refrigerating cabinet, embodylng my novel invention, and illustrating the preferred arrangement of parts whereby the brlne is cooled by the initial refrigerating coils and the stone container units are in turn cooled by the brine, the brine and the contalner units serving to stabilize the tempera ture in the cabinet and the container units Fig. 2 is a horizontal section taken through the cabinet, illustrated in Fig. 1, and showing the conventional arrangement of the elements shown in Fig. 1, i

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary sectional view illustrating the manner of inserting the stone container units in the brine tank, each unit being inserted separately and sinking to the bottom of cabinet havingone or'more container units for receiving articles to be cooled, and utilizing brine as-a hold-over medium, and to assist in cooling and absorbing the heat from the contents of the container or containers. In Fig. 1 I have shown an ice-cream cabinet which may be generally designated 1, and which is made up of the usual frame member 2 and cork or other insulation 3.

As in refrigeratingbabinets of this standard type, the outside cabinet or jacket is preferably lined with a metal lining 4. A brine tank 5 of suitable size is fitted or'supported within the refrigerating cabinet, it being understood that this brine tank may be inserted in the cabinet at the place of manufacture or at the lace of use. The'brine tank, of course, is ma e of suitable metal to prevent corrosion and is fabricated and the joints sealed in such a manner as to prevent leaking of the brine.

Suitable refrigerating coils 6 are positioried within the brine tank, and these coils are inturn connected by suitable conduits 7 to any standard refrigerating apparatus whereby to effect expansion and compression of the refrigerating gases. It will be understdod that the refrigerating coils 6 may be positioned in any desired art of the brine tank to effect the best resu ts in accordance with the position of'the container units.

The top of the brine tank may be designated 8, and is provided with a plurality of apertures 9. These apertures are designed to receive suitable container units and are adaptedto have a close fit with relation to such units, of being soldered or otherwise secured to jthe container units, as has been done in the past. Where the container units have been soldered, or otherwise secured, to the brine tank top, in prior construction, it has been necessary to utilize extremely rigid and compact structure for holding the top with its ri idly secured brine tanks in position, as the buoyancy of the brine tanks, due to the specific gravity of the brine, has created considerable upward pressure, and thus placing a great strain joints. t

Instead of utilizing a metal container unit to receive the ice-cream,'or other materials, and to keep out the brine, I utilize relatively heavy container units made of artificial stone. These container units may be designated 10, and are preferably formed of an oxy-chloride cement which may bemade up of a mixture of magnesium oxide, and fine silica or sand, to which may be added enough magnesium chloride in solution whereby to make a mixture that may be easily poured into suitable moulds. The pores of these cast stonexonupon the various tainers may be filled with a suitable sealing material, such as paraflin, but this is not necessary and it does not form a part of the present invention. These cast stone units may be manufactured separately from the refrigerating cabinet and shipped to the point of use, or they may be easi y manufactured at the place'of use. The place of manufacture is immaterial except that it makes it unnecessary to build the refrigerating cabinet com plete with the container units, and it is only necessary to completely form the relatively light cabinet and shi it to the place of use where the brine may lie poured into the tank and the relatively heavy containerunits inserted in the respective aperturesand allowed to sink to the bottom of their own weight. Each container unit is, therefore, independent of the other and inde endent of the top,

whereby if necessary, 1t y be easily replaced without removing the entire top structure.

The container unit, being formed of stone, presents an excellent conductor whereby the brine and the refrigeratin medium may perform the function of absor ing the heat from the articles placedin the container units with the greatest possible efliciency. Each container unit also serves as a hold-over unit,

thus tending to-maintain the temperature of the cabinet at a'constant level.

It will thus be obvious that I have provided simple, inexpensive container units for Ii;efrigerat1ng cabinets of the type utilizing rme.

ing cabinet, positively prevent any leaka e of the brine within the container units, and cost much less to build, in that the artificial stone costs about a cent and a half a pound, whereas the non-corrosive metals heretofore used have cost about thirty cents a pound. No expensive or heavy clamping devices are needed to hold thetop'of the brine tank in place, as when my relatively heavy container units are used there is no pressure'wha'tever transmitted to the top of the brine tank. If for any reason any one of the container units should be defective in manufacture, it may be easily replaced by simply removing the same and replacing with another unit.

WhatIclai'm is: v

1. Arefrigerating cabinet, comprising an apertured brine tank refrigerating coils positioned therein for cooling the brine, and a removable storage compartment of cast stone freely positioned in said aperture and within the tank, said storage compartment being of such weight as to sink within the brine.

2. A refrigerating cabinet, comprising a cabinet structure, a tank adapted to contain a non-freezing solution, a top for the tank containing an aperture, and a cast stone container unit for receiving ice cream cans inertab e W thin said and positioned by said These container units are formed of stone, mcrease the efficiency of the refrigerataperture for forming a storage compartment injthe non-freezing solution, said unit closely fitting and filling the aperture but being completely independent of the top.

3. A refrigerating cabinet, comprising a,

refrigerating tank adapted to contain a nonfreezing solution, a refrigerating coil positioned within said tank for cooling said solution, and a container forming a storage compartment for ice cream cans and freely posi- I tioned Within said tank, said container being of uniform diameter and extending to the bottom of the tank, and being relatively heavy and formed of a material of relatively high heat conductivity.

4. A refrigerating cabinet, compris ng a tank adapted to contain a non-freezing 'solu tion, a refrigerating coil positioned Within saidtank for cooling the-solution, and a container-unit forminga storage compartment for ice cream cans and positioned in said nonfreezing solution, said container unit being formed of a material of relatively high conductivity and beingrelatively heavy whereby it will sink in said non-freezing solution of its I own Weight.

2 i L 5. An lee-cream cabinet or similar structure, comprising a relatively light cabinet built up of an insulating material, and provided With a brine tank containing a fixed supply of brine, apertures in the top of said brine tank and cast stone storage containers for ice cream cans adapted to be separately inserted in'said apertures and freely remov- 7 Within said tank for cooling the solutibn, and

imperforate storage container units for receiving ice cream cans adapted to be inserted through said apertures, said containing units bein'gpositioned by but heldin said nonfreezing' solution independently of said top.

7. An ice-cream cabinet or similarstructure, comprising 7 in I combination a tank adapted to contain a fixed supply of nonfreezing solution, a top for said tank contain-.

ing a a plurality of apertures, refrigerating means positioned Within the tank for cooling the'solution, and completely independent imperforate storage container units for receiv-- ing ice cream cans adapted to be separately inserted in said apertures and into said brine and freely removable therefrom, said storage .units being of uniform diameter and extending substantially to the bottom of the tank.

In testimony whereof I have affixed my signature.

LLOYD (a COPEMAN. 

